Archive for September, 2012

The NHL announced Thursday that after having previously cancelled the league’s September preseason games, it has cancelled the the entire preseason.

The league has had to cancel the preseason because there is no collective bargaining agreement between the owners and players. The two sides remain far off in negotiations with exactly two weeks remaining before the Bruins are scheduled to begin the regular season against the Flyers.

While Bruins players are quickly finding places to play during the lockout, at least one player won’t be going anywhere. Nathan Horton, who has been shut down in each of the last two seasons due to concussions but was cleared for contact over the summer, will not play hockey during the lockout, Horton’s agent told WEEI.com on Friday.

Agent Paul Krepelka said that Horton is “doing well” and that his decision to not play hockey during the lockout “has nothing to do with his health. Just his personal choice.”

Horton, 27, did not play again last season after suffering his second concussion in seven months in a 6-5 win over the Flyers on Jan. 22. In 46 games last season, the right wing scored 17 goals and added 15 assists for 32 points. Horton also saw his 2010-11 season end early when he suffered a concussion on a hit from Canucks defensemanAaron Romein Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals.

Horton had been in Florida this summer, but recently came back to Boston. He’s expected to stick around until things pick up with the NHL.

Thus far, David KrejciandAndrew Ference (Czech Extraliga) as well as Tyler Seguin (Swiss Elite League) have already made agreements to play overseas during the lockout. Dennis Seidenberg is expected to eventually go to Germany to play with his brother Yannic Seidenberg in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference announced on Twitter Wednesday night that he will go overseas to play for HC Ceske Budejovice of the Czech Extraliga on Oct. 7 if a new collective bargaining agreement between players and the owners is not reached. Ference played in the Extraliga during the 2004-05 season, which was cancelled due to a lockout that spanned the season.

Tweeted Ference: “Going back to my old team, Ceske Budejovice, on Oct 7 barring any CBA. I’ll buy any Bostonian a Budvar [Budweiser] if I see you there.”

Ference would become the second Bruin to join the Extraliga for the lockout. Bruins centerDavid Krejci is reportedly set to leave this weekend to play for HC Pardubice. Dennis Seidenberg may also head to Germany to play for Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

The owners locked the players out over the weekend after the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement expired. The NHL announced the cancellation of all preseason games on Wednesday.

The Bruins announced Saturday morning that they have agreed to a three-year contract extension with left wing Milan Lucic. The deal carries a $6 million cap hit annually, which will make him the team’s highest-paid forward.

The deal comes days after the team locked up fellow forwards Brad Marchand(four years at a $4.5 million average annual value) and Tyler Seguin ($5.75 million AAV). Once the lockout begins at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, teams will not be able to sign players.

Lucic is entering the final season of a three-year deal worth $4.083 million annually and was set to become a restricted free agent after the season. The 24-year-old was third on the team in goals last season with 26. He had his first 30-goal season in the 2010-11 season.

Friday’s news that the Bruins had assigned Dougie Hamilton back to his OHL team meant that the Bruins had to be pretty darn sure that they’d be able to get him back once the lockout ended.

While the CHL/NHL transfer agreement expired this summer, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said last week that he was confident that teams would be able to assign junior-eligible players to their junior teams and recall at least one of them to the NHL once a new CBA was reached, and that Hamilton would be that player for the B’s. Following Hamilton’s assignment, Niagara IceDogs coach and general manager Marty Williamson told WEEI.com that it’s everyone’s understanding that Hamilton will be a Bruin as soon as the lockout ends.

“Absolutely,” Williamson said. “There’s no way our league’s going to stop these guys from going [to the NHL]. I know 100 percent they’re behind it that as soon as the lockout ends, that he will join the Bruins.”

Hamilton, who would have attended this week’s Bruins rookie camp (the camp, which was slated to begin Friday was cancelled due to CBA uncertainty), has been practicing with the IceDogs for nearly two weeks, according to Williamson. Now that he’s officially been assigned to the OHL, he will play in his first game next Thursday.

The ninth overall pick in the 2011 draft, Hamilton had 72 points last season in 50 regular-season games.

The Bruins announced Friday that they have sent 23 players to Providence, a list that is led by winger Jordan Caron. In addition to announcing the players assigned to Providence, the team also assigned defenseman Dougie Hamilton and goalie Malcolm Subban to their OHL teams.

While the transfer agreement between the NHL and CHL has expired, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said last week that he believes teams would be able to have junior-eligible players start a locked out season in junior and then come to the NHL when a new collective bargaining agreement is in place. The team intends to do that with Hamilton, who had 72 points in 50 regular-season games last season.

With the Bruins’ rookie camp cancelled and the NHL picture unclear, Hamilton joined up with his former-turned-current team this month, IceDogs coach Marty Williamson told WEEI.com Friday.

“He’s been practicing with us for the last two weeks almost,” Williamson said following the announcement. “He’s been here practicing but hasn’t played any exhibition games. Now that they’ve made the announcement, he’ll start Thursday with us and play his first game.”

One notable absence from that list is forward Tyler Seguin. The 20-year-old has played in 175 NHL games (including playoffs) and is thus not exempt from the waiver process in order to send him to the AHL. However, it is Seguin’s understanding that there is a scenario in which he could play in the AHL this season.